America’s Best Haunted Attractions

Check out the scariest supernaturally inspired displays to visit during Halloween

By Brynn Mannino

We love haunted houses because they play on our worst fears, causing an electrifying full-body rush without the reality of a face-to-face scare. But petrifying ploys aside, a haunted house is also interactive theater at its best—prompting expert makeup artists, actors, animators, set designers and more to come together and bring the event to life. Each year, a handful of haunts rise to the top, creating buzz thanks to expansive sets, fantastic artistry or spooky skills. Read on to discover the eeriest, most eye-catching sites across the country.

USS Nightmare, Newport, Kentucky

Back for its 19th Halloween season, the USS Nightmare is anchored in fright. Following the story of an ill-fated crew of sailors, this haunted experience is set on a real river steamboat. From the captain's quarters to the mess hall—and even a room of torture devices—visitors are temporarily quarantined in the ship's crazy quarters for a night of rock-the-boat fun. Photo: courtesy of USS Nightmare

Terror Behind the Walls, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Terror Behind the Walls is a massive haunted house in a real prison—need we say more? Since 1991, the history of Eastern State Penitentiary (abandoned in 1971) has terrorized visitors every Halloween. The site features six different spectacles, from flashlight-guided tours to this year’s newest addition, “The Experiment,” featuring 3D illusions complete with bloodthirsty characters. Photo: courtesy of Elena Bouvier/Andrew Garn/Eastern State Penitentiary

The Darkness, St. Louis, Missouri

Opened in 1994, this two-story fright-fest is renowned for its 3D funhouse. It’s been featured on the History Channel's Modern Marvels and other TV shows for its Hollywood-quality special effects. This year’s visitors are in for a real treat, as the site has undergone a massive renovation, with added scenes and the house's popular zombie, Priscilla Dawson, on the loose, in search of new victims. Photo: courtesy of The Darkness Haunted House

Bates Motel and Haunted Hayride, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Randy Bates began building his haunted empire in 1996. In addition to the Victorian-motif motel—inspired by Alfred Hitchcock’s famed film Psycho—with its scary scenes and special effects, the attraction features a haunted house–style corn maze that leads visitors into dark, room-like corridors and, most notably, a world-class haunted hayride that boasts "the most amazing pyrotechnics ever." Photo: courtesy of Bates Motel

Netherworld Haunted House, Atlanta, Georgia

Netherworld is known for its Hollywood-worthy makeup and production teams, which work together to create the house’s signature scare: ghoulish original characters that change based on each year's theme. An array of dazzling effects, decked-out live actors and lifelike gore make the event stand out. But, what’s set Netherworld apart for the past 13 years is its gruesome media campaigns, which include highway billboards and commercials. Watch here. Photo: courtesy of Netherworld

The 13th Gate, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

As the title suggests, this Louisiana haunted house, which opened in 2002, leads visitors on a jittery journey through 13 terrifying indoor and outdoor sets. Spanning 40,000 square feet, it features a maze of underground tunnels, a crematory oven and a rickety bridge overlooking live snakes. In 2008 and 2009, The 13th Gate was voted the top haunted attraction in the country by HauntWorld.com. Photo: courtesy of 13th Gate Haunted House

House of Torment: Revenge of the Immortals, Austin, Texas

This Texan terror opened in 2003, garnering national attention in 2008 when featured on the cover of Haunt World magazine. Based on a fictional account of a civilization gone wild due to a biochemical weapon, the attraction's allure is in its story—each year a new chapter is added, with terrifying theatrics recounting the events of a war-torn city where infected immortals prey on each other. Photo: courtesy of House of Torment

Fright Dome at Circus Circus, Las Vegas, Nevada

Established in 2003, this creepy circus has garnered rave reviews from the Travel Channel and other publications for its five different themed haunted houses—including the new "Saw" and "Flesh Feast" attractions—which span a massive five acres of land. Children under 12 are not permitted, given the ghastly attractions, which include a 4D theater, roller coasters, a freak show and more. Photo: courtesy of Fright Dome at Circus Circus

Erebus Haunted House, Pontiac, Michigan

Open since 2000, Erebus was declared the world's largest walk-through horror house by the Guinness Book of World Records between 2005 and 2009. The fright-fest is housed in a four-story former parking garage that takes 20 to 45 minutes to walk through, as visitors are terrorized with 2,450 feet of innovative scenes, including 40 claustrophobia-inducing displays. Photo: courtesy of Erebus Haunted House

The Dent Schoolhouse, Cincinnati, Ohio

This scary schoolhouse-themed attraction is hailed for its host building—a real schoolhouse. Run by a "janitor," the tour leads visitors through a number of spooky settings—including a nurse’s office, classrooms and more—to discover the truth about the 35-plus murders that actually took place in the former public school building. The Schoolhouse was named one of America’s scariest haunted house attractions for 2010 by USA Today. Photo: courtesy of Dent Schoolhouse

Spookywoods, High Point, North Carolina

Featuring fun attractions like zip lines and pumpkin patches, Spookywoods—one of the biggest daytime Halloween events in the nation—is an action park by day and a "scream park" by night, when more than 130 live monsters, ghouls, goblins and zombies come out to play. Spookywoods was started by a then-teenage Tony Wohlgemuth and a group of friends in 1985; today, it’s staffed by 135 people and is regarded as one of the top haunted spots to visit, garnering attention from USA Today and the Travel Channel. Photo: courtesy of Spookywoods Haunted House

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